How to Make Fresh Cranberry Juice

Co-authored by Danielle Blinka, MA, MPA

Last Updated: January 21, 2022 References Tested

Making your own cranberry juice is fun and saves you money, since homemade juice is typically cheaper than store-bought juice. All you need is some cranberries, water, and your favorite sweetener. You might like cranberry juice for its tart taste, but it may also improve your health. According to the National Kidney Foundation, drinking cranberry juice regularly may help prevent urinary tract infections (UTIs).^{[1]
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Ingredients

Heating Cranberries on a Stove

1 lb (250 g) of cranberries
1 quart (0.95 L) of water
Sugar or artificial sweetener (optional)

Using a Blender

2 cups (125 g) of cranberries
2 cups (470 mL) of water
1.5 tablespoons (22 mL) of lemon juice or orange juice (optional)
Sugar, honey, or artificial sweetener (optional)

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Heating Cranberries on a Stove

1
Wash 1 lb (250 g) of fresh or thawed frozen cranberries in running water. Pour your cranberries into a colander. Remove mushy cranberries or stems if you see any. Then, hold the cranberries under running water and swish them around to clean the berries.^{[2]
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- If you’re using frozen cranberries, be sure to thaw them before you make your juice.
- If you want to make more juice, simply increase the amount of cranberries and water at a 1:1 ratio. For instance, you might use 8 cups (500 g) of cranberries and 8 cups (1.9 L) of water.
2
Bring the cranberries and water to a boil, then turn the heat to low. Pour your cranberries and 1 quart (950 mL) of water into a saucepan. Place the pot on your stovetop and heat on high until the water comes to a boil. Stay near the stove so you can monitor the pot. When you see steady bubbles, reduce the heat to a simmer.^{[3]
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- Use a medium or large saucepan that’s big enough to hold the berries and water.
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3
Simmer the cranberries and water for 20 minutes or until the berries pop. Set a timer so you don’t accidentally cook the cranberries for too long. As they simmer, keep an eye on the berries to monitor how many have popped. Continue to simmer until all of the berries pop, which usually takes about 20 minutes. It’s okay to cook the cranberries a little longer if you have a few stubborn berries.^{[4]
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- The water will start to turn red as more and more berries pop.
4
Filter the cranberry juice through a strainer into a bowl. Place a clean bowl on your countertop, then hold your strainer over the bowl. Slowly pour the cranberry and water mixture into the strainer. If you’re okay with a little pulp, push down on the cranberries with the back of a spoon to squeeze out all of the juice.^{[5]
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- If you have cheesecloth, use it to line your strainer so you won’t get any pulp in your juice. This will give you a juice that has the consistency of store-bought juice.
5
Stir your sweetener into the juice if you’re using any. Cranberry juice is usually very tart, so you’ll probably want to add a bit of sweetener before drinking it. Use sugar or artificial sweetener, depending on your preferences. Add the sweetener in small increments and taste it after each addition to see if you like the taste. If it’s still too tart, add more sweetener until you’re happy with the flavor.^{[6]
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- For 1 quart (0.95 L) of cranberry juice, add about 1 cup (200 g) of sugar or 1.25 cups (240 g) of stevia or sugar in the raw. Adjust the sugar to your taste.
6
Heat the mixture to boiling, stirring to dissolve the sweetener. Put the pot back on the stovetop and heat the juice on high. Stir the juice consistently to help the sweetener dissolve. Turn off the heat if the juice starts boiling.^{[7]
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- It’s okay if the mixture doesn’t quite start boiling. You just want the juice to be hot enough to dissolve the sweetener.
7
Remove the mixture from the heat when the ingredients are blended. Set the pot on a cool stove top burner, a cooling rack, or a folded tea towel. Wait until the steam is gone before transferring the juice to a pitcher.^{[8]
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- Be careful when handling hot pots so you don’t accidentally burn yourself. Use a pot holder or tea towel to protect your hand.
8
Pour the cranberry juice into a pitcher and let it cool before refrigerating it. Set the pitcher on your countertop so the juice can cool. Once it reaches room temperature, place the cranberry juice in the refrigerator to chill. When the juice is cold, enjoy a tall glass of homemade cranberry juice!^{[9]
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- Make sure your pitcher is heat-safe. Some glass pitchers may crack if the juice is still hot when you pour it in the pitcher.
- You can store your juice in the refrigerator for a few days. Don’t drink it if you see any mold in the juice or the juice starts to smell.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Using a Blender

1
Rinse 2 cups (125 g) of fresh or thawed frozen cranberries in water. Pour your cranberries into a colander. Discard any spoiled berries or stems left in the cranberries. Hold the colander under running water and swish the berries around to wash them.^{[10]
X
Trustworthy Source
National Center for Home Food Preservation
Publicly-funded center dedicated to educating consumers about research-backed safety practices for preserving food
Go to source}
- Make sure you thaw frozen cranberries before using them for juice.
- If you want to adjust the recipe, do a 1:1 ratio of cranberries to water. For instance, you could use 1 lb (250 g) of cranberries and 1 quart (0.95 L) of water.
2
Add the cranberries and 2 cups (470 mL) of water into a blender. Dump the cranberries into the blender, then cover them with water. Snap on the lid and place the blender container onto its base.^{[11]
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- Make sure the lid is secure so your cranberry mixture doesn’t spray everywhere.
3
Blend the cranberries and water on high for 2 minutes. Watch the cranberries to make sure they’re blending properly. Turn off the blender and check after 2 minutes to see if the mixture is well-blended. If not, blend it for another minute or so.^{[12]
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- Make sure all of the berries are blended before you proceed to the next step. Typically, this takes no longer than 2-3 minutes. However, you may need a few extra minutes if your blender is slow or has a dull blade.
4
Pour the cranberry mixture through a strainer into a pitcher. Place the pitcher on your countertop, then hold a strainer over it. Slowly pour the cranberry mixture into the strainer to catch the solid pieces. If you’re okay with pulp, press down on the cranberries to squeeze out the juice.^{[13]
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- For clearer juice, line your strainer with cheesecloth so you can filter out all of the cranberry pieces.
5
Stir in your favorite sweetener if you desire. Pure cranberry juice is very tart, so you’ll probably want to add sugar or artificial sweetener. Try 1.5 tablespoons (22 mL) of lemon juice or orange juice or a few drops of honey. You could also stick to sugar or an artificial sweetener. Add the sweetener in small increments and test the juice each time to see if you like the flavor. Keep adding sweetener until you’re happy with the taste.^{[14]
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- If you made 2 cups (0.47 L) of cranberry juice, use about .5 cup (100 g) of sugar or about 2/3 cup (120 g) of stevia or sugar in the raw to sweeten your juice.
- Always adjust the sweetener to your taste.
6
Store your juice in the refrigerator. Pour your juice into a pitcher for easy serving and place it in your refrigerator to chill it. Expect your homemade cranberry juice to stay fresh for a few days, as long as you keep it chilled.^{[15]
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- If you notice mold or a foul smell, discard the juice because it’s likely spoiled.

Community Q&A

Question

Can fresh berries go into a juicer or blender to make a smoothie?

Community Answer

Yes. You just need to add some additional ingredients such as yogurt, milk, or non-dairy cream to make it a smoothie texture. You can also add frozen berries of any kind to make it a frozen smoothie!
Question

Do I need a blender to make cranberry juice?

Community Answer

No, if you don't have a blender, you can mash the cooked berries with a potato masher or a pastry chopper.
Question

Do I have to top and tail the berries to make juice?

Community Answer

No. After you make the juice, strain it to remove excess seeds and the top and bottoms if they are there.